Book-support.



W. T. SHEA.

BOOK SUPPORT.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

COLUMBI\ XLANOGRAPII CU WAI IN WILLIAM THOMAS SHEA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

Application filed September 14. 1910. Serial No. 581,959.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IVILLIAM THOMAS SHEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Book-Supports, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. V

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and novel device for supporting a book or the like in a position which permits the contents of the same to be viewed when the book is open at any point, the leaves being left free to be turned as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a light collapsible support for books which, when folded up, takes up but little space, and which can be set up in working condition in a simple and easy manner.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of support in its working position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the support collapsed; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the compound hinge which supports the brace; and Fig. a is a perspective view showing a fragment of a modified form of device.

My invention relates particularly to a supporting device which has a member adapted to lie between the back and the cover of a book as illustrated in my Patent 831,193 granted December 18, 1906. For the sake of clearness, however, I have omitted the book from the illustration in the present case.

In accordance with my invention I provide a supporting base of considerable size and mount thereon a supporting arm which extends upwardly therefrom at such an angle that when the arm is inserted between the back and the cover of a book, the lower edge of the book resting either upon the base or upon some suitable stand on which the base is mounted, the book will remain open at any point at which it may be desired to open it. In order that the parts may not be too heavy I prefer to provide a brace reaching from the upper end of the supportin g arm to the base so that the weight of the book comes partly upon the brace. These parts, as well as the base, may take many different forms and they may be connected together and to the base in various ways without departing from the present invention. \Vhere it is desired to make the support collapsible I prefer to hinge the supporting arm to the base so that the arm may be swung down so as to lie flat upon the base. For the same reason I. prefer to hinge the brace either to the base or to the arm so that the brace also may be made to lie flat upon the base when the support is not in use or when itis desired to ship the support. lVhile it is not essential, I prefer to hinge the parts together so that they are always permanently connected, thereby avoiding the danger of loss of one or more of the parts. It is my intention to have the supporting arm lie between the back and the cover of a book to be supported and therefore there should be a detachable connection at some point so as to permit the insertion of the arm in the book.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, A represents the base which is illustrated as taking the form of a frame open at one side and made of a rod or wire bent into the proper shape. Across the open side of the frame extends a rod B which is journaled in the ends of the frame as at Z) and Z) so as to be rotatable about its own axis. The supporting arm, which is preferably made wide and flat so as to give stability to a large book, is illustrated as being made up of two parallel rods C rigidly secured at their lower ends to the member B. D is a brace having at its upper end a head E which fits between the free ends of the rods G, G and is journaled therein, as indicated at a, so as to permit the brace to swing about an axis parallel with the member B. The free end of the brace is adapted to be interlocked with the base in any suitable manner so as to hold the lower end of the brace in position when the support is set up. lVhile the interlocking of the base and the foot of the brace may be effected by engaging shoulders of any kind, I prefer to screw-thread the foot of the brace as indicated. at (Z so that it may be screwed into the base and thus tie all of the parts into a rigid whole. Where the brace is screwed into the base, its upper end is pref erably revolubly supported in the head E, as indicated at d so as to permit the brace to be rotated about its own axis.

hen the support is not in use, or when it is to be shipped, the members C and D are collapsed upon the base as indicated in Fig. 2. WVhen a hook is to be supported, the brace and the supporting arm are slipped through the space between the back of the book and the cover until the hinged end of the brace is clear of the book. The brace is then swung down and screwed into the base as indicated in Fig. 1. It will be seen that the support holds the book at a convenient angle for viewing the contents, when the lower edge of the book rests upon the base or a stand or otl er supporting device. By making the supporting arm comparatively wide, the book is held with comparative firmness and does not tend to tilt toward one side or the other.

In Fig. .4; I have shown a modified form of base and supporting arm, F indicating a base which may be made of a fiat piece of wood 01' other material, and G indicating a supporting arm which may also comprise a strip of wood or metal. The lower end of the member G is secured to the base by a hinge H which permits the two members to be folded together. Any suitable form of brace may be employed so long as it permits the supporting arm to be inserted between the back edge and the cover of a book.

lVhile I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single form of my invention 1 do not desire to be limited to the specific details so illustrated and described; but intend covering all constructions and arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

YVhat I claim is:

1. A book support comprising a base member, two supporting members extending up wardly from separated points on the base member to a common point above the base member, two of said members beingihinged together, the third member having a screw threaded connection with one of the other members, and a compound hinge connecting said third member with the ren'iaining member, said compound hinge being constructed and arranged to permit said third member to move angularly about two axes at an angle to each other.

2. A book support comprising a base formed of a wire bent into a frame having an open side, a rod ournaled at its ends in the free ends of said wire inclosing said open side, two long parallel rods spaced a short distance apart and connected at their lower ends to the aforesaid rod, a brace having a head secured between the upper ends of said parallel rods, and cooperating shoulders on the lower end of said brace and on said frame.

3. A book support comprising a base formed of a wire bent into a frame having an open side, a rod journaled at its ends in the free ends of said wire inclosing said open side, two long parallel rods spaced a short distance apart and connected at their lower ends to the aforesaid rod, a brace having a head secured between the upper ends of said parallel rods, and cooperating shoulders on the lower end of said brace and on said frame, said parallel rods together with the head on the brace and the first mentioned rod forming a frame having therein a long narrow unobstructed opening.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM THOMAS SHEA.

Vitnesses M. M. Darren, JOHN M. STEK'ET'EE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

